Improvement in gaiter boots and shoes



' w. E. PUTNAM.

Gaiter Boots and Shoes.

Patented May18,1875.

,UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM E. PUTNAM, OE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE OF ONE- HALF HIS RIGHT TO HENRY S. JENKINS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAITER BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 163,525, dated May 18, 1875; application filed April 20, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. PUTNAM, of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in Gaiter Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the improved gaiter as it appears when strapped upon the foot, and Fig. 2 is a similar elevation of the saine when opened to the position to receive the foot.

The sameletter marks the saine parts in both figures.

My invention relates to th at class of shoes in which the front quarter or instep-piece oven laps the rear quarter and extends nearly to the back seam, and is fastened at the back by a strap or other suitable device; and consists in the insertion of an elastic gore in each side of the gaiter on the line of junction between the instep-piece and the upper or main portion of the shoe, the front edge of the gore coincidin g with the point. on which the instep-piece turns down to receive the foot, and the rear edge of the gore being nearly in a vertical line with the breast of the heel, the objects of the construction being to allow of the easy introduction of the foot, to secure a close and neat lit over the instep, avoiding the squatting out77 of the rear` quarter, and to prevent the rear strap from riding up on the heel, all as hereinafter more particularly set forth.

The drawings represent a gaiter having the instep-piece V, overlapping the quarter Q so far as nearly to reach the back seam of the shoe. It is fastened together behind by a strap, S, and buckleB. At the point of junction of the front quarter V with the upper on the sides of the shoe an elastic gore, G, is inserted, its rear edge b being nearly in a vertical line above the front face of the heel H of the shoe,preferably a little in rear of that line. The point a is Xed as far back as is consistent with the easy insertion of the foot into the shoe. The reaction of the elastic gore is but slightly inclined to a vertical line, and the tendency'of the force exerted is to keep the front quarter in close contact with the instep, and to prevent the strap from rising on the back of the shoe.

I claim as my invention- In combination With a gaiter having the front quarter overlapping the rear quarters, and fastened by an ankle-strap, as described, elastic gores G, inserted at or immediately back of the point of junction between the instep-piece and upper or main part of the shoe, and operatin g to produce a close t over the instep,and to hold down the rear strap, in the manner set forth.

The above specification of Inysaid invention signed and witnessed at Boston this 15th day of April, A. D. 1875.

WM. E. PUTNAM. Witnesses:

H. M. GURRIEE, HENRY S. J ENKINs. 

